Growing up in Long Island, New York, my comfort zone was very small. I certainly never thought I’d leave that tiny suburban town for other coasts or other shores. After that first trip abroad everything changed. I had no idea then that harnessing fear of the unknown would be the thing that actually facilitated a...

You get into some crazy situations when you travel. The food you eat, the people you meet and the things you see. Yet on later reflection, those are the same things that build character and allow you to evolve as a person. Derek Sivers described this well in his blog post: Push, push, push. Expanding...

Getting out of your comfort zone on your travels not only opens you up to new experiences, but also teaches you a lot about yourself. It’s advocated by a wide variety of travelers—from Rick Steves to Nicholas Kristof . And when you’ve done it once, it can change the way you travel for the rest...